What Did the D-Backs Get For Parra and Prado?

So, the Diamondbacks made some trades yesterday and acquired some pieces in return. I don’t want to get too in-depth on the trades themselves, but I’d like to review what the team received in return for outfielder Gerardo Parra and third baseman Martin Prado. It should noted that the team saved $1.6M this year in dealing Parra, plus whatever they would have paid him next year in arbitration and opened up an every day spot for David Peralta. By trading Prado, they’ve saved roughly $16M over the next two years, plus have freed up third base in the infield. We’ll see what they do with that money, but for now, let’s take a look at the guys coming into the D-backs’ farm system.

Haniger is a right-handed thrower and batter who logs some innings in centerfield at the moment but projects as a corner outfielder at the major league level. He should have plenty of range for right field and presently has the arm for the position. A supplemental first round draft pick from the 2012 draft, his value will be built on his ability to hit. Haniger possesses above average power but hasn’t hit a lot of homers since turning pro. One would think that it’s something that he may grow into. The approach at the plate is a strong area for him as he’s never struck out at a concerning level and has taken his share of walks, suggesting that he knows what he’s looking for in the batter’s box.

His ability to barrel up baseballs is the area of concern. The hit tool is thought to be average at best, suggesting that he’ll never be a high average guy. Currently hitting .255 in AA as a 23-year old, there’s perhaps some validity in the concern. But, a guy who can hit .265 with 12-18 homers while playing decent defense in right field isn’t terrible, it’s just not terribly exciting. On the whole, Haniger projects as a passable major leaguer but not of the high-impact variety. He could be in the bigs as soon as 2016.

Also included in the Parra trade to the Brewers, Banda looks like nothing more than a throw-in. But after first glance, there’s a glimmer of hope. At just 20-years old, he has a projectable frame (6’3″, 175-pounds) and there’s no reason to think he can’t add some velocity as he matures. Currently, he sits 89-92 with his heat and has a curve and changeup, although there are no real reports on the usefulness of his arsenal as he’s never made any Brewers prospect list. This is the kind of guy the Diamondbacks should be looking for, however, as he’s essentially a lottery ticket with a little bit of upside. Like a lot of young pitchers, he struggles to command the zone at times but shows an ability to strike hitters out and has been reasonably hard to hit in Single-A ball. The projections wouldn’t suggest that you should hold your breath on Banda, but he’s not someone you should write off yet either.

The Prado trade was a salary dump, and taking O’Brien back in return for Arizona’s starting third baseman shows that clearly. Like Banda above, O’Brien is nowhere to be found on any Yankees prospect list, and although New York is deep at catcher in the minors, they didn’t part with anything special. Essentially, O’Brien is an all-or-nothing player behind the plate, as he strikes out a ton and walks rarely while hitting for a lot of power. At best, he profiles as a backup, but there’s something to be said for a backup catcher who can put the ball over the fence. If his walk rate could ever improve, he may just become a notable prospect, but that doesn’t appear to be the case as minor league track record shows that he’s not in the box to take pitches. He’ll never hit for average from the looks of things, but that’s fine as a backup. Considering the depth the Diamondbacks have at the position, this is interesting as his ceiling is certainly higher than that of Tuffy Gosewich and Blake Lalli, who essentially have reached their peak and we already know what that looks like. O’Brien could see the major as soon as late 2015 depending on his development and what the team does at the catcher position this winter. His defensive prowess is essentially unknown as of right now.

Overall, this haul might appear underwhelming, but consider what the Diamondbacks gave up: an outfielder with above average defense but little offensive ability who should be platooned and a utility guy who is getting older, doesn’t hit the ball hard and was owed $16M over the next two years. Those assets aren’t going to net you top prospects, and overall, I’d say they got a reasonable return based on the financial and roster flexibility they were able to create in these deals.

The most encouraging sign, though, is that the team seems to have shifted its priorities for contention. By flipping Parra and, in particular, Prado, they’ve signaled that they need to build for the future, although in Haniger and O’Brien, that’s not necessarily the distant future. Instead, they look to be adding pieces that can pay off in the next two years. That’s kind of where I see them contending anyways, so while this deadline wasn’t the most exciting for those looking for major turnover, it’s a welcomed sign when compared to the alternative.

“What you should be upset about is a GM who has filled his roster with 2-win players at the expense of young guys with a bigger upside or other major league options.”

Have you heard any rumblings about the future of KT, and by extension, Gibson? I’ll be honest in saying that I seriously thought the arrival of LaRussa meant that KT would be going elsewhere within a month or two. Perhaps that was just wishful thinking.

From what I understand, the extensions only run through 2015. That was unknown at first but surfaced a few weeks ago. That should make it pretty easy to buy them out if they’re fired.

I think KT is sent packing once the season is over and LaRussa will evaluate Gibby independently of KT. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Gibby is fired and LaRussa installs someone he’s more familiar with.

I rely on the services of sites like Baseball Prospectus, Baseball America and Minor League Ball for my prospect rankings. Any scout, and I’ve spoken to a few, will tell you the MLB.com stuff is geared towards the fans and is probably the worst of the bunch. Their midseason prospect list, which was a total cluster, pretty much confirmed it for me.

O’Brien isn’t a “nobody,” but you have to remember that the Yankees’ system is generally considered pretty poor, so when he doesn’t make the top 15-20 on the more reputable sites, that’s not a huge sign of encouragement. That said, there’s no reason to think he can’t be a productive backup catcher, and those are very valuable. It’s just that backup catchers aren’t the kind of prospects we tend to get excited about.

The power he has is real, however, and if he can keep the average in the .240 range and learn to take a walk while playing “good enough” defense, well, that’s something the team needs.

Jeff where are you getting your info on Prado’s contract from? It’s my understanding that he’s owed $22 million, not $16 million, over his last two seasons. Also, Parra’s defense, according to metrics, has been BELOW average this season… so calling him above average is stretching the truth. I don’t know why your report was so down on O’Brien. At two levels this year he’s hit .267 and mashed 33 homers in 386 ABs… I don’t care what level you are at that’s a great AB/HR rate. I’m not saying he’s the future answer at C, but he’s better than your report indicated.

Hunter, the money on Parra includes the $5M-ish he was owed for the remainder of 2014 and the $11M he’s owed for 2015. AZ has already paid over half of his salary for 2014, so that’s a sunk cost.

The homers for O’Brien are nice, but the 3.5% walk rate and high strikeout rate suggest that the plate discipline is a problem. Also, he’s spent time in right field and at first base this year, so it’s not a lock that he’s a catcher long term. That really hurts his value if he can’t stick behind the dish. There’s almost no reason a team would move him elsewhere in the field if they thought he was an everyday catcher.

The trade of Martin Prado show how weak the Dback management is, Martin was the key in the Upton trade, let not forget Upton is 26 and already has hit over 150HR, that would not be a bad RF to have, would it?

The Pool Shot

Episode 35 of The Pool Shot: Jeff's survival instincts, appropriate uses of ranch dressing (spurred by Infield Chatter's @socosoco), and "the LAMBASTER," a sandwich inspired by Jake Lamb (and named by @OutsideSlider) -- and that's just the first 16 minutes. The guys do talk baseball, including an approach to the trade deadline, the midseason top prospects list (37:30), the draft bonus pool and Swanson signing (48:00), what Patrick Corbin does for the rotation (79:00) and the curious Zack Godley promotion (94:00).
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